The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-14

take them out late at night and unfold
them. In one corner of the pocket
handkerchief he discovered the Initial
a. with a coronet above it. Could
this other dainty thing, with its deli
cate perfume, be any protection
against wind and weather? What use
less trifes these spoiled girls must have
to wear, and this was a Partisan
through and through! German women
were so different. What, indeed,
could manly man do with doll who
carried such handkerchiefs, wound such
spiders webs about her neck and wore
gloves in the garden? What would his
mother, who only on Sundays allowed
herself the luxury of white under
sleeves, and was by no means lavish in
collars and handkerchiefs for
her husband and son-what would
she say about the always fresh
white gowns of this young French
woman? Terrible memories of the
Revolution and of Napoleon's wars
had taught her to hate the French. and
she was displeased to learn that heI
son even knew these foreigners.
This night Arnim dreamed of gigan-
tic balls flying through the air. They
all hit him. Handkerchief after
handkerchief was wound around
his head, and two soft little hands
were laid upon his heart, while a
sweet voice asked: Have l really hurt
you?"
The next day Arnim had many les
sons to recite at the gymnasium, but
his memory was not as usual at COM
mand. At the appointed time he
found himself on the familiar path. As
he passed the latticed gate his heart
beat violently. From beneath the low
drawn vision of his cap he gazed
stealthily into the garden. Suddenly
he discerned a white simmer. The
gloveless hand of Hortense waved him
a greeting through the lattice-work Of
the gate.
go, sir, you came at last" she said,
in French. How is it with you?"
As polite young man, he was obliged
to step forward, to take off his cap,
show the eye which meantime had as.
sumed all possible colors, and say as
suringly the words he had thousand
times rehearsed: '.Je me parte aSSez
bien. nladen,oiSelLe. Then taking the
handkerchief with the coronet from its
paper wrappings. with a "thank you
very much" he handed it to its owner.
Where was the other? Hortense did
not ask, but still chatting and laugh
ing merrily, she opened the gate and
came to him. Arnim listened in silence
as the ripping rivulet of her speech
flowed gayly on, while the rosebud
mouth was wreathed in smiles and the
eyes glowed like sunbeams.
80, how love the forestr she cried,
in ecstasy. The trees murmured softly
above those two young heads. and with
happy hearts they paced slowly up and
down the path.
Young violets in charming profusion
nestled amid the grass. Arnim would
gladly have plucked bunch of them
! for his lovely companion, but he could
} recall only their Latin name, Viola
odorata, and he forebore. He told her
as well as he was able that he spoke
but very little French, and she replied,
laughing, that she knew no German.
Then she asked him to give her Ger.
man lessons, assuring him that hel
father would not object She next in
quired as to his name, his home, wheth.
er he had parents and brothers and sis
tiers. When he had answered she said
sadly: Il have no mother, no brothers
or sisters" Then she begged him not
to be afraid of Mile. Fifne
her governess, assuring him that she
was not so cross as she looked.
lis it she who always makes you
wear gloves?" he asked.
She laughed and nodded.
but L do love to take them off, '
she said, suiting the action to the
word. Here they are. Please keel
them awhile for me-"
He put the gloves in his breast
pocket.
'.And yet 1 would not like to have
brown or red hands like so many o.
your German girls" she added. THAT
is so ugly-uglier even than gloves.
SO they walked up and down or stood
side by side at the gate, until Mile
Fifine's call separated them.
This day. also, our student learned
little from his books, although his eye
was now well.
In response to courteous note from
the Marquis, he ere long found himsel
duly installed as German teacher t.
; Hortense. The Marquis also paid hi
parents visit, charming both with hi.
, elegant manners and the prospect O
! an engagement for their son, although
; the mother shook her head ominously
. and talked more than ever of the dire
: events of the French campaign of 1912
, The German lessons were not giver
in the usual formal manner. Teacher
and pupil wandered out into the gar
, den, and seated themselves cOmforta
, bly, in the arbor or by the fountain
Sometimes when Mile. Fifine was in
/ good humor, she accompanied them tc
| the forest, to the meadow or to the
temple on the hilltop. Arnim soon got
over his fear of the morose old French
governess, who every day cursed tn,
lot that forced her to remain far from
, la belle France in this stupid Germany,